How will the weight of 20kg change if it was in a lift that accelerates at 4m/s
To determine how the weight of an object changes in a lift that accelerates, you need to consider the concept of apparent weight. The apparent weight is the force experienced by an object due to the contact force with a supporting surface.
The formula to calculate the apparent weight is:
Apparent Weight = Actual Weight + (Mass × Acceleration)
In this case, the actual weight is equal to the gravitational force acting on the object, which is determined by the equation:
Actual Weight = Mass × Gravitational Acceleration
The gravitational acceleration on Earth is approximately 9.8 m/s². Therefore, if the object has a mass of 20 kg, the actual weight would be:
Actual Weight = 20 kg × 9.8 m/s² = 196 N
Now, to determine the apparent weight in the lift that accelerates at 4 m/s², you can use the formula mentioned earlier:
Apparent Weight = 196 N + (20 kg × 4 m/s²)
Apparent Weight = 196 N + 80 N
Apparent Weight = 276 N
Therefore, the weight of the 20 kg object will change to 276 N when it is in a lift accelerating at 4 m/s².